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Nats score 5 in 1st, down Brewers

Jul 20, 2014 - 5:32 AM Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run single as part of a five-run first inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-3, in the middle test of a three-game set.

Zimmerman finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, Wilson Ramos went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Jayson Werth posted two hits and a pair of runs scored for the Nationals, who have won three of their last four games.

Tanner Roark (9-6) allowed a run on six hits and a walk over seven innings to notch the win.

Matt Garza (6-7) lasted just one-third of an inning, surrendering all five of Washington's first-inning runs on five hits and two walks for Milwaukee, which had its brief two-game winning streak snapped on the heels of a 1-11 stretch.

"Not much else you can say, just one of those days," Garza said.

Ryan Braun smacked a two-run homer in defeat.

The Nationals jumped out an early lead after plating five runs in the opening frame.

Denard Span led off the first with a single and after Anthony Rendon struck out, Werth doubled and Adam LaRoche walked to load the bases for Zimmerman, who bounced one back up the box to bring home Span and Werth.

Bryce Harper walked and Ian Desmond singled to score Zimmerman. Ramos stepped up next and slapped a base hit to center to plate Zimmerman and Harper, ending Garza's night after 42 pitches.

"The big at-bat there was Wilson's," Nationals manager Matt Williams said of Ramos' at-bat.

Marco Estrada came on and fielded Tanner Roark's bunt before throwing home to nab Desmond. Span then flied out to end the frame.

After the Brewers got on the board with a run in the second, Washington pushed across a run in the third, fourth and sixth innings.

Jonathan Lucroy hit a one-out double, stole third and scored on Ramos' throwing error into third.

Ramos and Zimmerman hit RBI singles in the third and fourth innings, respectively, before LaRoche's sacrifice fly in the sixth gave the Nats an 8-1 spread.

Braun's two-run shot in the eighth capped the scoring.

Game Notes

Washington was 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while the Brewers finished 1-for-3 ... Braun's homer was his 12th of the season.